Tania Burt.
The new general manager of regional tourism body Destination says good management, infrastructure and investment are the keys to growth in Northland.
Tania Burt has been appointed the role with Destination, the tourism side of Northland Inc.
She is currently the Waitangi Treaty Ground's business development manager.
Announcing Burt's appointment, Northland Inc chief executive David Wilson said he was excited to welcome her to the position.
"Tania will bring fresh energy and a new approach to the important task of promoting our region," Wilson said.
"We very much look forward to the skills she will bring to our team when she joins us in April.
"Her business development experience will hold her in good stead because the GM Destination role encompasses promoting Northland to tourists, investors and people who want to live here, as well as working with partners and stakeholders on infrastructure and product development."
Burt led the Waitangi Treaty Grounds' sales and marketing department through successful campaigns, including opening the Museum of Waitangi and developing the new day pass programme.
That programme earned two wins at the NZ Tourism Awards for Māori Cultural Tourism in 2016 and Visitor Experience in 2017.
"I'm excited about working for Northland Inc, bringing experience from the operator's side of the industry into the regional tourism organisation (RTO) function,'' Burt said.
''The organisation has gone from strength to strength during the last three years - thanks to an experienced and dedicated, albeit small tourism team - and I look forward to new challenges in destination, marketing and management.
"I believe in Northland's unique proposition for visitors and I want to continue to position Northland as a destination on the world stage.''
Burt said she looked forward to helping create a ''cohesive forward direction for the promotion of regional tourism, investment and liveability".
With Northland Inc more or less created from merging former regional tourism body, Destination Northland, and economic development counterpart, Enterprise Northland, the new label Destination reflects the value of the sector to Northland.
Wilson said it was an indication of the success of brining the two former organisations together: ''It's now bearing fruit.''
Destination would be both marketing Northland for investment in tourism and looking at how to manage the resulting growth.
''There are big issues, like where do we send the camper vans. In other words, now we've marketed the region, how do we manage the people and facilities.''
Regarding the Destination portfolio's priorities - investment, infrastructure and management, ''Tania will be all over it'', Wilson said.
''Down on the ground'', Northland Inc's business team would continue to help start-up and smaller tourism industry related companies with their development.
The position of tourism general manager was formerly held by Paul Davis who left last year.